Luke 9:52–53

Long ago these Samaritans had rejected the Lord's servant who was about to be taken up. Now, in the same circumstances, they reject the Lord Himself. The everlasting doors were about to open to the King of glory. After the victory of the cross heaven was ready to receive the Lord mighty in battle. But on earth, we read, "they did not receive Him."

The word "angel" in itself does not describe a nature, but an office. It means a messenger. Only the context and the particular use of the word can decide. The word may apply to people, or to spiritual beings. In Luke 7:24; 9:52; 2 Corinthians 12:7; James 2:25 the term "angel," or its plural, refers to those sent on errands of various kinds.

At Sychar, very early in our Lord's ministry, before John the Baptist was even put in prison, a work went on there. We know something about it, and it came out of the Lord's conversation with the woman at the well (John 4). Later, in Samaria, the Lord met opposition. The people of one village refused to receive Him (Luke 9:52), because His face was as though He were going to Jerusalem. Warm welcome and flat rejection — these had been the Lord's experiences in Samaria.

At the start, conscious of His personal glory, He looked forward to His being "raised up," as He was later. Then He sends messengers ahead of Him, in the ordinary, well-known manner of someone who wants it known that a person of distinction is coming that way. But the unbelief of the Samaritans changes the scene. They would not receive Him. They refused to build a road for the feet of this glorious One. Instead they forced Him to find the best path He could for Himself, as the rejected One. But He accepts this place at once, without a murmur in His heart.

We see the reason they did not receive Him was that His face was set towards Jerusalem. He was going to do God's will without honour or attractiveness or reputation. His obedience and singleness of purpose in going to Jerusalem is the very reason they would have nothing to do with Him. […] The Samaritans would not submit to God's way: Christ did. That is the difference.

The Samaritans had no excuse. Loyalty to their own sect ruled them completely, in its worst form, and they were hostile to God's centre. They had their own form of worship. They would not receive anyone whose face was turned the opposite way to theirs, and so they refused Christ, the Son of God, on that basis.

In the Gospel of Luke the Lord is a vessel of grace. He longs for the blessing even of those who are against Him. The disciples had to learn this. They had to watch their spirits; they did not know the kind of people they were. They were in the company of the vessel of grace, so they ought to be like Him. They ought to long for the blessing and salvation of those who are hostile to Christ Himself.

These Samaritans made a great mistake in refusing to receive the Saviour even as a passing guest. Strong religious prejudices were at the bottom of it. They disagreed sharply with the Jews about the place where people should worship. Mount Gerizim was their sacred spot, and Jerusalem was that of their rivals. Now Jesus had set His face towards Jerusalem. They knew it, and they would not let Him stay in their village — not even for an hour. They were wrong, very wrong. But their refusal shows how religious prejudices darken the understanding and lead to sorrowful results.

There was no readiness for the Lord. Their dislike of favoured Jerusalem made them forget everything: the glory of Jesus, and the proof of His gracious power. These very Samaritans had every reason to know that power and to be grateful for it... How often circumstances bring out the state of our hearts! They would never dare do this if Jesus alone were in view. But some petty selfish feeling stirs up a hidden jealousy and brings everything to light.

He obeyed, and His purpose was undivided. He went to do God's will without honour or attractiveness or reputation. He went to Jerusalem. That is the very reason they would have nothing to do with Him... The Samaritans would not submit to God's way; Christ did. That is the difference.

The first hindrance is selfishness, plain to see... It may come under cover of zeal for the Master's reputation, and this is the most subtle form of all. The Samaritans were altogether wrong in their attitude. He was going up to Jerusalem to die. James and John wanted to defend His importance — and their own along with it — by bringing death on others. Elijah had indeed acted this way when faced with the violence of a king who had turned away from God, but the Son of Man is of another spirit. That was the trouble with the disciples. They had not yet entered into the spirit of grace — the grace that marked their Master.

But He knew "how to be brought low" too. Look at Him with the Samaritan villagers in Luke 9... He sends messengers ahead of Him, in the familiar style of someone announcing that an important person is coming that way. But the unbelief of the Samaritans changes the scene. They would not receive Him. They refused to build a road for the feet of this glorious One. They forced Him to find the best path He could for Himself, as the rejected One. But He accepts this place at once, without a murmur in His heart.

Though Lord of all, He was here with a tender heart and a lowly mind, having no self-importance to maintain... Christ, without resentment and without retaliation, will pass on to another village.

How changed were the people of that province and that sect! The Lord was going towards Jerusalem. He entered a village of theirs, and they made Him leave. They would not receive Him, because His face was set toward the mother-city, Jerusalem (Luke 9:53). Now Peter and John, who had been with Him at that time, met with no coldness. Nobody in the Samaritan villages turned them away, even though they were going up to Jerusalem... When the Spirit is at work, prejudices of ages melt away. Difficulties that once looked impossible are no longer there.